Passage des Panoramas

...the Passage des Panoramas another 19th century shopping mall, built in 1799 and one of the earliest venues of the Parisian philatelic trade... And of course I found a STAMP shop in there.

Did you ever collect stamps when you were a kid? I collected specifically French colonial stamps - because of the bright colors. I still have them lurking somewhere...

Paris shops are so full of unexpected memories... Old stamps on old letters - how do they end up here? And French post marks! I just bought a faux set of rubber stamps to put on what? Who know? Irresistable though... French script is the BEST! I spent a year trying to write Frenchcalligraphielike this...Hmmm Dress up as a French postman (ooops - person) Or deliver the poste yourself in your own yellow toy truck... And poste banks as well here, Brit ones too... The best is this miniature postal office. So much better than going to a real French postal office = terrifying! Will they ask me questions I can't answer in my limited French? One trip I carried around my postcards in my purse unsent, for fear of having to wait on line and then speak to a poste person.Has this ever happened to you in Paris?BONNE JOURNEE!

23 comments:

I agree. French script is just beautiful. It is truly a thing of the past and we'll see less and less of in the future. With computers, younger generations aren't using their hands the way my generation and those before me did. I think it's very sad.

This is another lovely and charming painting. I am loving these with the letters in them. I wish I could say I had that problem in Paris with carrying letters around to mail, then it would mean I had been there. But Alas no. Altho I used to collect pretty stamps as a kid. My Grandmother would take them off of foreign correspondence and send them to me. Fun post today.

Not alone at all KNITTING KNIRVANA-it's not so much what to say or how to say it in French, but the terrer struck deep in the hearts of all who enter the poste office...a kind of tyranny reigns. Like you are in a different country and you can say nothing right.

Even tho they don't like to admit it--most French people speak English--and about 3 other languagesJ'ai besoin de # etambres(sp?) (I need....) par avion aux Etates Unis-air mail to the USA--That's the best I can do for nowAmitiesMelanie USA--

Carol. we don't have any post boxes now here in the UK and all the post offices that were near peoples homes have gone. Old ladies that live out in the country have to come into town to visit the ONLY POST OFFICE there is. There were marches and lots to stop it but the Royal Mail that is the top boss nearly went bust so they closed everything so if you have one letter to post it costs you £3 which is six dollors for you to just bring it into town.Love the pictures.I missed all the passages.

Mon Dieu, Carol,-- BLUE in your flower painting!? Gorgeous! I love that... Lovely painting! As for mail and pretty stamps and ecriture, I'm all for promoting those--they're such a part of gentility and beauty. Someone has to keep all that going--we can't let all that disappear. Mais non--Sacre Bleu!

I have a set of those faux French postmark stamps... they're fun to use on the outside of an actual piece of mail - "par avion" or "Prioritie" don't impede their US delivery.If I am just handing a b'day card to a friend or co-worker, I'll put the fake cancellation mark on it.It beats a plain envelope!

There is something so romantic about French correspondence. Your painting is no exception.When in Paris I always take my postcards to the Eiffel Tower mailbox to get the special stamp they have. Love it!!

Beautiful blues, Carol! I love this one. Looks like a gorgeous hydrangea. I do think nothing touches the soul like a REAL letter in the mail. Instead of just bills and junk mail, it still always makes me smile to get a REAL letter just for me...so rare these days, and that's why I always make a point to send thank you notes...gotta' keep up these traditions.

You collected only French colonial stamps? How very prescient of you! I never looked at stamps as a youngster....too busy wading through swamps and feeding rabbits....but I have come to my senses and a few years ago I started buying those linen bags of a million stamps for $5.00. I'm a sucker for the colors! I have sorted mine all by color and put them into those sheets that have pockets for stamps......I suppose thinking I'd use them for collage one day. Who knows?

Last spring, when I was in Paris, I summoned the courage to go to the post office and buy stamps for my letters. Then I walked around the building for 20 minutes, trying to find where to mail them! Finally, I got in line again and asked. The clerk gave me a look that said "Oh, you poor idiot," and directed me to OUTSIDE the building and the proper mail slot.

Have you ever tried to simply push your postcards under the glass division, point at the address, and smile helplessly at the French guy sitting behind the counter? I am sure you could not only charm to socks off him, but also end up with all the stamps you needed (it definitely would work in Vienna). ;-)

I was in Paris after my first year of high school French and got stuck at the post office, in line and at the window. I could say everything except for Hong Kong, hadn't learned that one.There was a nice man behind me who stepped up after my third attempt and just said "Hong Kong" with his great accent. Lucky he was there!

Paris Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.